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United States Patent |
6,079,657
|
Hwang
|
June 27, 2000
|
Structure telecommunications cable reel
Abstract
A telecommunications cable reel that is comprised of a top cover, a bottom
cover, a winding plate, and a telecommunications cable of which, the
bottom cover and the top cover are the congruent halves that form the
enclosure. The top cover has a winding plate opening at the center that is
utilized for the placement of a winding plate. At the two sides of the
bottom cover and in alignment with the terminal holders of the top cover
are the terminal holders that provide for the placement of the terminals
at the two ends of the telecommunications cable and at the center of
bottom cover is a spindle that is utilized to mount the winding plate. The
reel is utilized to bind and roll up the telecommunications cable is
situated at the center of the winding plate. The telecommunications cable
reel herein is physically compact, conveniently portable, can be utilized
and rewound simply and quite rapidly, making the cable reel herein very
suitable for utilization with both notebook computers and desktop
computers.
Inventors:
|
Hwang; Lih-Jiuan (18F-2, No. 2, Lane 175, Sec. 3, Shiou-Lang Rd., Chung-Ho City, Taipei Hsien, TW)
|
Appl. No.:
|
247592 |
Filed:
|
February 10, 1999 |
Current U.S. Class: |
242/388.1; 191/12.4; 242/395; 379/438 |
Intern'l Class: |
B65H 075/38; B65H 075/30; H04M 001/76; H02G 011/02 |
Field of Search: |
242/388.1,395,378.1,380,402
379/438
191/12.4
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
2429675 | Oct., 1947 | Eypper | 242/388.
|
4150798 | Apr., 1979 | Aragon | 242/388.
|
Primary Examiner: Nguyen; John Q.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A telecommunications cable reel that is comprised of a
telecommunications cable having a terminal at each of the two ends; a top
cover having a winding plate opening at the center, two terminal holders
at the front and rear of the aforesaid top cover, and number of posts on
the interior surface of the aforesaid top cover; a bottom cover that is
congruent in shape with the aforesaid top cover, both of which form the
enclosure of the reel herein; furthermore, there are a number of
receptacles on the interior surface of the aforesaid bottom cover that
facilitates the assembly of the aforesaid top cover and the aforesaid
bottom cover into a single physical entity after insertion of the
aforesaid posts into said receptacles; and at the two sides of the
aforesaid bottom cover and in alignment with the aforesaid two terminal
holders of the aforesaid top cover are another pair of terminal holders
that provide for the placement of the aforesaid terminals at the two ends
of the aforesaid telecommunications cable; a winding plate and the
aforesaid winding plate is rotatably positioned in the aforesaid winding
plate opening of the aforesaid top cover, and situated at the center of
the aforesaid winding plate is a reel that is utilized to bind and roll up
the aforesaid telecommunications cable and, after a hole in the center of
the aforesaid reel is placed onto a spindle at the center of the
aforementioned bottom cover, the aforesaid spindle serves as the center of
rotation of the aforesaid reel, with a recess provided on the surface of
the aforesaid winding plate for enabling the rotation of the aforesaid
winding plate by means of a finger; the aforementioned telecommunications
cable is wound around the aforesaid reel of the aforesaid winding plate
and then the aforesaid winding plate is installed onto the aforesaid
spindle on the aforesaid bottom cover, following which the aforesaid two
terminals of the telecommunications cable are inserted into the aforesaid
two terminal holders and finally, the aforesaid top cover is assembled to
the aforesaid bottom cover, which forms the telecommunications cable reel.
2. A cable reel as mentioned in claim 1 wherein there are indentations that
are laterally positioned in the aforementioned two terminal holders of the
aforementioned top cover as well as in the aforementioned two terminal
holders of the bottom cover, with the aforesaid indentations serving as
the means of securing the aforementioned two terminals of the
aforementioned telecommunications cable in position after insertion of the
terminals into the terminal holders.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a. Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to a kind of improved structure
telecommunications cable reel, specifically referring to a kind of reel
structure for the winding of telephone cables. Physically compact and
convenient to operate, the invention herein is capable of storing
telecommunications cables neatly, while also being portable and durable in
design.
b. Description of the Prior Art
Connective cables of various types are required between computer peripheral
hardware equipment and computers. To increase performance, a computer may
be equipped with an great amount of hardware and consequently requiring a
confusing number of computer peripheral cables.
At present, most people install cables that are secured in position by
ties. However, the cables must be disconnected whenever hardware is moved
or serviced and then later reinstalled and secured. Otherwise, the cables
will become disorderly and unattractive.
Furthermore, with the rapid development of computer communications today,
even notebook computers are equipped with internal modems to facilitate
interfacing to E-Net and ISDN or to RJ11 lines for facsimile operation and
so on. If a notebook computer is not equipped with a telecommunications
cable (as shown in FIG. 1) for internal modem or telephone utilization,
the user must carry a separate telecommunications cable to enable
connectivity as necessary. However, when a telecommunications cable that
is one-meter in length is to be placed aside, the cable must first be
wound up and bound with a tie to form a manageable coil. When the user
needs to utilize the cable again, the coiled cable must be unwound to
traverse the distance between the notebook computer or desktop computer
and the telecommunications line. Such coiled telecommunications cables
have an appearance that is displeasing and in addition to lacking
attractiveness, are easily lost or damaged and, therefore, quite
inconvenient to utilize.
To solve the aforementioned problems, a manufacturer designed a kind of
telecommunications cable reel (10) [Taiwan Patent Application No.
83,212,880]. The aforesaid telecommunications cable reel (10) had two
jacks (11) on the front and a telecommunications cable (12) of
considerable length wound at the center. During utilization, the original
telecommunications line was plugged into the one of the jacks (11), with
the two ends of the telecommunications cable (12) and the original
telecommunications line pulled to the modem and the telephone line jack.
Furthermore, the aforementioned kind of cable reel was physically large,
heavy, and difficult to carry. Bearing such a cable reel was tiring,
especially when toting a smaller notebook at the same time. In addition,
while the major application was to extend the reach of the
telecommunications line, utilization required the presence of the original
telecommunications line, an inefficient approach to cable management in
which the original telecommunications line was still subject to the
existent problems previously described.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforementioned situation, extensive research was conducted
to design an improved structure telecommunications cable reel capable of
surmounting the aforementioned difficulties.
Therefore, the primary objective of the invention herein is to provide a
kind of improved structure telecommunications cable reel that is comprised
of a top cover, a bottom cover, a winding plate, and a telecommunications
cable of which, the bottom cover and the top cover are the congruent
halves that form the enclosure. The top cover has a winding plate opening
at the center that is utilized for the placement of a winding plate. At
the two sides of the bottom cover and in alignment with the terminal
holders of the top cover are the terminal holders that provide for the
placement of the terminals at the two ends of the telecommunications cable
and at the center of bottom cover is a spindle that is utilized to mount
the winding plate. The reel is utilized to bind and roll up the
telecommunications cable is situated at the center of the winding plate.
The improved structure telecommunications cable reel of the invention
herein is physically compact, conveniently portable, can be utilized and
rewound simply and quite rapidly, making the invention herein very
suitable for utilization with both notebook computers and desktop
computers.
To enable a further understanding of the disclosure and objectives of the
invention herein in terms of the structure and technological content, the
brief description of the drawings below is accompanied by the detailed
description of the invention herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of a telecommunications cable with modular
terminals.
FIG. 2 is an orthographic drawing of a conventional telecommunications
cable reel.
FIG. 3 is an exploded drawing of the invention herein.
FIG. 4 is an isometric drawing of the invention herein.
FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are embodiments of the invention herein in example
applications.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 3, the improved structure telecommunications cable reel
of the invention herein is comprised of a top cover (20), bottom cover
(30), winding plate (40), and a telecommunications cable (50).
Of which, the aforesaid top cover (20) has a winding plate opening (21) at
the center that is utilized for the placement of the winding plate (40),
at the front and rear of the top cover (20) there are the terminal holders
(22) and (22) with laterally positioned indentations (23), and there are a
number of posts (24) on the interior surface of the top cover (20).
The bottom cover (30) and the top cover (20) are the congruent halves that
form the enclosure of the invention herein, there are a number of
receptacles (31) on the interior surface of the bottom cover (30) that
facilitates the assembly of the top cover (20) and the bottom cover (20)
into a single physical entity after insertion of the aforesaid posts (24),
and at the two sides of the bottom cover (30) and in alignment with the
terminal holders (22) of the top cover (20) are the terminal holders (32),
each of which have the laterally positioned indentations (33), that
provide for the placement of the terminals (51) at the two ends of the
telecommunications cable (50), with the indentations (33) serving as the
means of securing the terminal (51) in position; and at the center of
bottom cover (30) is a spindle (34) that is utilized to mount the winding
plate (40).
Situated at the center of the winding plate (40), the reel (41) is utilized
to bind and roll up the telecommunications cable (50) and, after the hole
(42) in the center of the reel (41) is placed onto the aforementioned
spindle (34), the spindle (34) serves as the center of rotation of the
reel (41), with the recess (43) on the surface of the winding plate (40)
providing for the rotation of the winding plate (40) by means of a finger.
When the invention herein is assembled, the telecommunications cable (50)
is wound around the reel (41) of the winding plate (40) and then the
winding plate (40) is installed onto the spindle (34) on the bottom cover
(30), following which the two terminals (51) of the telecommunications
cable (50) are inserted into the terminal holders (32) and finally, the
top cover (20) is assembled to the bottom cover (30), with the easily
completed structure of the invention herein appearing as illustrated in
FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, when the embodiments of the invention
herein are utilized in the example application depicted, after the
telecommunications cable (50) is extended by pulling the terminals (51) at
the two ends, the terminals (51) are respectively plugged into the
telecommunications jack (60) and the modem jack of a notebook computer
(70) or respectively plugged into the telecommunications jack (60) and the
modem (90) of a desktop computer (80); retracting the invention herein
only requires the removal of the terminals (51) from the telecommunication
jack (60), notebook computer (70) or the modem (90), followed by rotating
the winding plate (40) by finger to retrieve the telecommunications cable
(50) until the terminals (51) engage the indentations (23) and (33) of the
terminal holders (22) and (32), respectively, at which time the
telecommunications cable (50) is fully rewound.
In summation of the foregoing description, since the improved structure
telecommunications cable reel of the invention herein is physically
compact, conveniently portable, can be utilized and rewound simply and
quite rapidly, as well as both practical and progressive, the invention
here is lawfully submitted in application for the commensurate patent
rights.
However, the preferred embodiments of the improved structure
telecommunications reel of the invention herein shall not be interpreted
as a limitation of the invention herein based on a particular application
and, furthermore, modifications and adaptations to the invention herein
shall still be regarded as within the scope of the following claims of the
invention herein.
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